Michael Dickinson
Michael William Dickinson was born in the Lancashire village of Gisburn on February 3, 1950, the son of permit trainer Tony Dickinson and leading point-to-point rider Monica Dickinson.
Michael William Dickinson was born in the Lancashire village of Gisburn on February 3, 1950, the son of permit trainer Tony Dickinson and leading point-to-point rider Monica Dickinson.
Having been educated at Rossall School, Michael began his racing career as an amateur rider and recorded his first success on selling chaser South Rock, owned by his mother and trained by his father, at Chepstow on March 6, 1968.
Having been educated at Rossall School, Michael began his racing career as an amateur rider and recorded his first success on selling chaser South Rock, owned by his mother and trained by his father, at Chepstow on March 6, 1968.
Unhindered by his height of 6ft 1ins, he was crowned champion amateur rider in 1969/70 and turned professional the following season. His last big win as an amateur, Rainbow Valley in the 1970 Kim Muir Chase, was also his first big race success as a professional when landing Haydock’s Greenall Whitley Chase in 1971.
Unhindered by his height of 6ft 1ins, he was crowned champion amateur rider in 1969/70 and turned professional the following season. His last big win as an amateur, Rainbow Valley in the 1970 Kim Muir Chase, was also his first big race success as a professional when landing Haydock’s Greenall Whitley Chase in 1971.
More effective over fences than hurdles, Michael went on to enjoy plenty of big race success over the course of the next eight years, mostly on horses trained by Tony Dickinson, who by then had graduated to a full licence and subsequently moved his training operation to Harewood in Yorkshire.
More effective over fences than hurdles, Michael went on to enjoy plenty of big race success over the course of the next eight years, mostly on horses trained by Tony Dickinson, who by then had graduated to a full licence and subsequently moved his training operation to Harewood in Yorkshire.
His riding career was ended by a ruptured liver, following a fall from the inappropriately-named Buck Me Off, who slipped up on the flat during a handicap hurdle at Cartmel on May 27, 1978. He retired having ridden a total of 378 winners.
His riding career was ended by a ruptured liver, following a fall from the inappropriately-named Buck Me Off, who slipped up on the flat during a handicap hurdle at Cartmel on May 27, 1978. He retired having ridden a total of 378 winners.
Having spent his formative years with the likes of Vincent O’Brien, Kevin Prendergast and Frenchie Nicholson, as well as his father, Michael obtained his trainer's licence in 1980, taking over his parents’ stables.
Having spent his formative years with the likes of Vincent O’Brien, Kevin Prendergast and Frenchie Nicholson, as well as his father, Michael obtained his trainer's licence in 1980, taking over his parents’ stables.
It was a golden age for jump racing in Yorkshire, as the Dickinson family sent out a wealth of top-class winners from their Harewood yard. Between them they won five consecutive renewals of Kempton’s King George VI Chase. Tony had trained Gay Spartan in 1978 and Silver Buck in 1979. Michael then took over and won it with Silver Buck in 1980 and twice with Wayward Lad in 1982/83 (the race was abandoned in 1981).
It was a golden age for jump racing in Yorkshire, as the Dickinson family sent out a wealth of top-class winners from their Harewood yard. Between them they won five consecutive renewals of Kempton’s King George VI Chase. Tony had trained Gay Spartan in 1978 and Silver Buck in 1979. Michael then took over and won it with Silver Buck in 1980 and twice with Wayward Lad in 1982/83 (the race was abandoned in 1981).
Michael trained the first two, Silver Buck and Bregawn, in the 1982 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He trained a world record 12 winners on Boxing Day 1982. However, he is perhaps most famous for his extraordinary feat of training the first five in the 1983 Gold Cup. In finishing order they were: Bregawn, Captain John, Wayward Lad, Silver Buck and Ashley House.
Michael trained the first two, Silver Buck and Bregawn, in the 1982 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He trained a world record 12 winners on Boxing Day 1982. However, he is perhaps most famous for his extraordinary feat of training the first five in the 1983 Gold Cup. In finishing order they were: Bregawn, Captain John, Wayward Lad, Silver Buck and Ashley House.
Michael was champion National Hunt trainer three times in just four seasons with a licence. He then moved to Manton in 1984 as private trainer to Robert Sangster, at which point Monica Dickinson took over the Harewood training licence and added another King George VI Chase to the Dickinson family’s tally with Wayward Lad in 1985.
Michael was champion National Hunt trainer three times in just four seasons with a licence. He then moved to Manton in 1984 as private trainer to Robert Sangster, at which point Monica Dickinson took over the Harewood training licence and added another King George VI Chase to the Dickinson family’s tally with Wayward Lad in 1985.
The Manton experiment failed to work out and lasted less than one season. Michael then emigrated to Maryland in America, where he set up a training operation. He had his first runner on June 30, 1987.
The Manton experiment failed to work out and lasted less than one season. Michael then emigrated to Maryland in America, where he set up a training operation. He had his first runner on June 30, 1987.
His most acclaimed flat training feat came with Da Hoss. He trained the horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile in 1986 and again in 1988, despite the horse only having had one race in between owing to injury.
His most acclaimed flat training feat came with Da Hoss. He trained the horse to win the Breeders’ Cup Mile in 1986 and again in 1988, despite the horse only having had one race in between owing to injury.
On 13 November 2007, Michael announced that he would not apply for a trainer’s licence in 2008, in order to devote his time to his business of synthetic racetrack surfacing known as Tapeta Footings, a surface first laid at his Maryland training centre in 1997.
On 13 November 2007, Michael announced that he would not apply for a trainer’s licence in 2008, in order to devote his time to his business of synthetic racetrack surfacing known as Tapeta Footings, a surface first laid at his Maryland training centre in 1997.
Tapeta replaced Polytrack as the surface of choice at Wolverhampton in 2014 and replaced the flat turf course when Newcastle was redeveloped in 2016.
Tapeta replaced Polytrack as the surface of choice at Wolverhampton in 2014 and replaced the flat turf course when Newcastle was redeveloped in 2016.
Michael Dickinson’s major wins as a jockey were:
Michael Dickinson’s major wins as a jockey were:
1970: Kim Muir Handicap Chase on Rainbow Valley
1970: Kim Muir Handicap Chase on Rainbow Valley
1971: Greenall Whitley Handicap Chase on Rainbow Valley
1971: Greenall Whitley Handicap Chase on Rainbow Valley
1972: Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase on Slave’s Dream
1972: Great Yorkshire Handicap Chase on Slave’s Dream
1973: National Hunt Handicap Chase on The Chisler
1973: National Hunt Handicap Chase on The Chisler
1974: Benson & Hedges handicap Chase on Dorlesa
1974: Benson & Hedges handicap Chase on Dorlesa
Other big wins include:
Other big wins include:
1974: Heinz Chase on Winter Rain
1974: Heinz Chase on Winter Rain
1976: Mildmay of Flete Handicap Chase on Broncho
1976: Mildmay of Flete Handicap Chase on Broncho
1976: Tote Northern Handicap Chase on Shifting Gold
1976: Tote Northern Handicap Chase on Shifting Gold
1977: Sun Alliance Chase on Gay Spartan
1977: Sun Alliance Chase on Gay Spartan
1978 Tote Northern Handicap Chase on Gay Spartan
1978 Tote Northern Handicap Chase on Gay Spartan